Internal Audit, Controls, Compliance, and Risk

Specialist, Internal Audit, Controls, Compliance, & Risk

Role Overview

Pearson is seeking a highly organized and detail-oriented Internal Audit, Controls, Compliance, & Risk Specialist to join the Cybersecurity team. Primary duties include supporting access governance, audit readiness, compliance, risk mitigation, and control activities across multiple business applications and technology platforms. This role is execution-focused and plays a critical part in administering role-based access, supporting provisioning and deprovisioning controls, preparing audit evidence, executing SQL-based data analysis, MFA resets and supporting compliance initiatives related to SOX, FedRAMP, and internal control requirements. The role will also support helping to identification, escalation, and tracking of cybersecurity risks and control deficiencies.

You will work closely with IT, Business Stakeholders, Application Owners, Security Teams, Auditors, and end users across multiple geographies to ensure access is appropriate, compliant, documented, and aligned with established controls while maintaining audit readiness and timely completion of access-related requests.

Key Responsibilities

Audit & Compliance Execution

• Ensure access provisioning and deprovisioning activities are completed accurately and within established timelines to support audit readiness, mitigate risk, and maintain compliance with security and control standards.
• Collect, validate, and prepare audit evidence to support compliance and control testing activities
• Execute SQL queries and scripts to retrieve, analyze, and validate data for audit and compliance requirements
• Utilize Excel to perform data analysis, reconciliations, reporting, and audit support activities
• Assist with documenting processes, controls, evidence inventories, and audit workpapers
• Monitor compliance with internal policies, standards, and regulatory requirements
  Maintain audit readiness by ensuring evidence is complete, accurate, and readily available

Access Administration & Operational Control Support

• Administer user access for enterprise applications, including provisioning, deprovisioning, role changes, account maintenance, and password resets for systems
• Review access requests to ensure they are appropriate, approved, documented, and aligned with role-based access controls, least-privilege principles, and internal control requirements
• Support access-related incidents and account issues while ensuring activities are performed in accordance with security policies and compliance standards
• Manage access administration requests through ServiceNow to maintain traceability, approval documentation, and audit support
• Track and prioritize access governance activities, audit deliverables, account maintenance requests, and compliance tasks simultaneously
• Escalate access exceptions, system limitations, or control concerns to application owners, security teams, or other appropriate stakeholders
• Maintain accurate documentation of access requests, approvals, account changes, credential support, and remediation actions

Cyber & Technology Support

• Work across multiple in-house and enterprise applications to support access governance, audit, and compliance activities
• Support Azure-based environments through reporting, access reviews, compliance validation, and user administration activities
• Assist in identification, tracking, escalation and remediation of cyber risks and control deficiencies
• Utilize ServiceNow to manage access-related requests, track work items, document approvals, and support workflow management
• Assist with researching access discrepancies, entitlement issues, and control exceptions across various systems and platforms
• Support user access reviews, role validations, temporary access analysis, and control-related activities as needed

Essential Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Information Systems, Information Technology, Computer Science, Business, Accounting, Cybersecurity, or a related field
• 2+ years of experience supporting access management, audit, compliance, governance, risk, internal controls, cyber or technology operations
• Experience using Microsoft Excel for data analysis, reporting, and reconciliation activities
• Experience executing and interpreting SQL queries and scripts
• Experience working with ServiceNow or similar ticketing and workflow management platforms to manage access requests, approvals, and documentation
• Familiarity with Microsoft Azure environments and cloud technologies
• Strong understanding of access management concepts, including provisioning, deprovisioning, account maintenance, and role-based access
• Strong organizational, prioritization, and time management skills with the ability to manage multiple competing priorities and deadlines simultaneously
• Exceptional attention to detail and commitment to accuracy
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to learn new systems, applications, and business processes quickly
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a fast-paced, changing environment

Preferred Skills & Experience

• Experience supporting SOX, FedRAMP, SOC, ISO, NIST, or other regulatory and compliance frameworks
• Certification/s such as CRISC, CISA, CIA, CPA or equivalent either attained or underway
• Knowledge of IT General Controls (ITGCs), access management controls, segregation of duties, and audit evidence requirements
• Experience working with access reviews, user provisioning, deprovisioning, role-based access controls (RBAC), and least-privilege access models
• Familiarity with Azure Active Directory, identity governance, or cloud security controls
• Experience supporting internal or external audit activities
• Exposure to automation, scripting, reporting tools, or process improvement initiatives
• Experience working across multiple enterprise applications and business platforms

Key Competencies

• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities
• Exceptional attention to detail and accuracy
• Outstanding organizational, prioritization, and time management skills
• Ability to effectively manage multiple tasks, deadlines, and support requests in a fast-paced environment
• Self-motivated with a strong sense of ownership and initiative
• Adaptability to changing priorities and business needs
• Customer-focused mindset with a willingness to help others
• Strong collaboration and relationship-building skills
• Commitment to continuous improvement and operational excellence
• Ability to handle sensitive and confidential information with discretion
• Quick learner with the ability to rapidly adapt to new technologies, applications, and processes

Why Join Pearson?

• Be part of a purpose-driven global organization
• Work in a role with high visibility and global exposure
• Collaborate with experienced professionals across IT, Finance, and Audit
• Gain exposure to complex systems, large-scale SOX programs, and global audits

Continuous learning, career growth, and professional development opportunities